Many foods such as breads, bread sticks, cookies and the like are made more enjoyable by the addition of a coating of edible seeds. These seeds are normally applied by sprinkling them upon the tops of the product as it is being made. Since the flavor of the product is largely the result of the seeds, it is desirable to have as many seeds as possible on the finished product.
Continuous manufacture of foods has heretofore made it impractical or uneconomic to apply seeds to a food product, particularly where the manufacturing equipment employed a conveying means such as an endless belt. In such operations, seeds have been placed on the belt and discrete food portions placed upon the seeds. Thereafter, additional seeds were dropped over the food portions from a supply source in an effort to get more seeds on the product.
The present invention provides a continuous seed applicator for food products which is compatible with high speed large scale manufacturing techniques and which will automatically apply seeds to all surfaces of said food products.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a seed applicator which will make economical use of the seeds by preventing waste.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a seed applicator which will operate for long periods of time without excessive accumulation of seeds.
Still another object of the present invention is to achieve a maximum adherence of seeds to the food product in its finished state.